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Captain's Holiday (episode)
Picard takes a much-needed vacation on Risa, but unwanted events keep interfering with his rest. Summary Act 1 Doctor Crusher enters Picard's ready room as he is working with a stack of PADDs. She tells him that a crew member is working himself too hard. As Picard rubs his neck, Crusher mentions that overwork can cause muscle spasms, and advises Picard to take a week of vacation. Crusher says she could order Picard to take a vacation, but Picard replies that he knows she won't. In a turbolift, Commander Riker hints to Picard that he should take a holiday, but Picard brushes him off. Upon arriving on the bridge, Counselor Troi mentions that when the ''Enterprise'' arrives at Starbase 12, her mother will be present, and is looking forward to catching up with Riker and Picard. Picard asks to speak to Riker privately in his ready room, and asks if everyone on the ship is conspiring for him to be on vacation. Riker replies that two ensigns on deck 39 may not know about the plan. Picard finally gives in and starts planning his vacation to a location Riker suggested: Risa. Just before Picard leaves, Riker asks him to bring back a Horga'hn, a local souvenir. Picard beams down to Risa and is immediately kissed by Vash, a woman he's never met, who is eyeing a Ferengi across the lobby. She claims to have mistaken him for someone else, and walks off. Act 2 Picard finds two Vorgons in his room when he returns. They claim to be a security team from the 27th century looking for the Tox Uthat, an artifact sought after by criminals in their time. Picard says he knows about the legend, and the Vorgons say that history in the future indicates that Picard will find the Tox Uthat while he is on the planet. Picard says that he hasn't found the artifact yet, and the Vorgons want to know what will happen if he does. Picard simply says that he knows it belongs in the future, and the Vorgons transport out of his room. Just as the Vorgons leave, Picard reaches into his pocket and finds the disk. Picard appears at Vash's room while she's cleaning up a huge mess. She says that Sovak has taken to rifling through her room looking for the disk every once in a while. Picard asks what she's doing, and what he wants to -FINISH SECTION- Sovak, brandishing a pistol, stops Picard and Vash just as they're preparing to leave the hotel. Picard asks whether he knows that weapons are not allowed on Risa, but Sovak just demands the disk again and threatens to kill Picard. Vash stops him, saying she'll give him what he wants, and throws her pack at Sovak. While Sovak is off balance, Picard steals the pistol and punches him in the face, knocking him out. Act 3 Vash and Picard enter a small grotto that Vash says is the place they've been looking for. Due to the composition of the rock in the cave, Vash can't get a good reading on her tricorder. Picard pulls two shovels out of his pack and advises Vash to start digging. As they prepare to start, the Vorgons materialize on a ledge above the pit, saying they just want to watch Picard discover the Uthat. Immediately after them, Sovak appears with a rifle, and orders Picard and Vash to start digging. Picard and Vash dig a large pit, but Picard finally throws down his shovel and gives up after he finds it apparent that there is nothing here. Riker calls Picard when he returns to his room, and advises the captain that the Enterprise is in orbit and ready to beam him back. Picard asks him to wait a little while but stand ready to activate Transporter Code 14. Vash is about to leave, while Picard calls at her from a table. She claims to be on her way to say goodbye to Picard. Picard asks where she's hidden the Tox Uthat. Picard tells her that if she really wanted to keep Soval from finding the cave, she would have really destroyed the disk. Vash gives in, and opens the head of a Horga'hn she's carrying to reveal a large gemstone. As Picard picks it up, the Vorgons appear again. Vash claims that the professor's notes stated that two Vorgons initially tried to steal the Uthat. Picard asks the Vorgons to prove their identity, and one of them draws a pistol. Vash tries to take the Uthat, and the Vorgon stuns her. Picard then tells the Enterprise to initate the Code 14 with a two-second delay, drops the Uthat and runs. The Uthat explodes, and the Vorgons say that Picard's real destiny was to destroy the Uthat; a destiny he has fulfilled. They transport away, and Picard looks to take care of Vash. Act 4 Again, Picard and Vash prepare to leave the planet. Vash says she plans to explore ruins on a dangerous planet next, and Picard yells at her about what the inhabitants do to trespassers. She claims that that means that he does care about her, and the two kiss. Picard says that since the Vorgons now know when to look for the Uthat, they may have to meet and do the whole thing again. Picard, back in uniform, finally returns to the Enterprise's bridge, and is welcomed back by Riker. Picard tells Riker that they need to have a chat about the Horga'hn he asked for. Troi asks him whether he had a good time on Risa. Picard turns, thinks for a moment, and simply says "uh-huh." Background Information *After writing this episode, Ira Steven Behr told himself he would never write another episode featuring the Ferengi. This turned out not to be the case, fortunately, and Behr was successful in reimagining the Ferengi in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. *Max Grodénchik later plays a more famous Ferengi - Rom in Deep Space Nine. *Deirdre Imershein later plays Watley in "Trials and Tribble-ations", DS9's 30th anniversary tribute to Star Trek: The Original Series. *Ira Steven Behr later wrote the Deep Space Nine episode "Let He Who Is Without Sin...", in which Worf, Jadzia Dax, Quark, Julian Bashir and Leeta visit Risa. The script of the DS9 episode notes that Worf and Dax's room is similar to Picard's here. The script also tells the production staff to "please lose the ceiling fans", that were seen in this episode. *Jennifer Hetrick makes her first of three appearance as Vash. She appears again in TNG: "QPid" and the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode, "Q-Less". *Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) does not appear in this episode. Brent Spiner (Data) appears but does not have any dialogue. *The scene where Dr. Crusher tells Captain Picard a crew member needs rest mirrors the TOS episode Shore Leave where Spock tells Kirk that a member of his crew needs rest and rehabilitation. Interestingly, Kirk, unlike Picard does not get the hint and unwittingly orders himself shore leave. Whether this means Picard is more intellegent than Kirk or that Kirk was simply in more need of rest is up for interpretation, but this is still an interesting back reference. *In another nod to the original series, the way Sovak tersely orders Picard and Vash to dig while holding a rifle on them is reminiscent of a similar scene in the TOS episode The Cloud Minders, where Captain Kirk, phaser in hand, orders Plasus and Vanna to dig for zenite. Both Picard and Plasus eventually become frustrated enough that they refuse to do any more digging even at weapon point, although unlike Plasus, Picard manages to avoid getting into a fistfight with his captor. Links and References Guest Stars *Jennifer Hetrick as Vash *Karen Landry as Ajur *Michael Champion as Boratus *Michael Grodenchik as Sovak *Deirdre L. Imershein as Joval References Achrady VII, Andorians, Dachlyds, Dano, Kal, Estragon, Samuel, Gemarians, Gemaris V, Horga'hn, hoverball, Icor IX, jamaharon, Risa, Risans, Sarthong V, Sarthongians, Starbase 12, Tox Uthat, Vorgons, Zytchin III, Antican, Richard Daystrom, Daystrom Institute, Vorgon, Ajur, Boratus, Joval, Achrady VII, Dachlyd, Shore leave, Lwaxana Troi, holodeck, stellar cluster, Ulysses, James Joyce, Ethics, Sophistry and the Alternate Universe, Ving Kuda, Archaeology, Starithium Category:TNG episodes de:Picard macht Urlaub es:Captain's Holiday nl:Captain's Holiday